Quote:
Originally Posted by kccrow
Go ahead and post the whole highlight reel you pulled that from. And the whole other highlight real from him as a Fr and So. Then count the number of contested catches he made. And yes, that's a high-point catch, not a box-out contested grab.
I haven't watched the highlights in a while but I can confidently say you won't count very many. In fact, almost none.
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Yeah, I think that's a fair distinction.
He doesn't really box out as much as he uses his length. They're still contested catch situations but he's not like Bowe in that he was simply bodying guys off. He just uses that length and some angles he could create to snatch a ball that was away from his body (and thus usually away from the DB).
He's still using his body to screen guys off on a lot of those plays, but it's not like he's using physicality in the process - he's using length. And he has plenty of that.
I suspect that's really just an invitation for an argument over semantics though - I don't recall there being that few contested catches, they just didn't really seem like it because he was able to reach out and snatch a ball rather than battle through contact for it. So then we're quibbling over 'contested catches'.
I think it's probably fair to say that he's a guy who wins through body control and length. I don't think he's very sudden nor does he have excellent deep speed. There's some build-up speed there, but I would put it at about average. Nor does he win through physicality.
He's an odd comp, really. There aren't a lot of guys who win that way. Colston? Victor Cruz?
How 'bout Keenan Allen? Allen's not super sudden, not super fast, but he's pretty long and he's crafty. Taller WR but not terribly physical.
I think I can live with that as a 'type' - a Keenan Allen type who will have to continue to refine his route-running technique (and stay healthy) to succeed at this level.